Monday, January 18, 2021

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. y ¡Sí se puede! by Xánath Caraza

 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. y ¡Sí se puede! by Xánath Caraza

 


On a spring day during the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed a very eager audience in Kansas City, Missouri.  His speech rang forth energizing the community.  In the same city, and blocks from this significant gathering, the historic Latinx community of Kansas City, easily with at least two centuries of existence, had similar, interconnected needs for social change.

 

At a national level, activists were pushing forward.  For example, Dolores Huerta and César Chávez have been pillars of activism and important examples for our Latinx communities for decades.  The strife for the rights of farm workers among numerous other social change issues for our communities have been their focus, of course.

 

Today, for our commemoration of Dr. King, let us celebrate, as an example for all of us, the inspiration that Huerta and Chávez drew from King’s examples of non-violence and insistence on change.  As I drive through Kansas City and see vital reminders of Black and Brown activists, the call for justice and through a peaceful process is ever more important.  In the last couple of weeks, I keep resounding the words paz, paz, paz.  ¡Sí se puede!  ¡Sí se puede!  ¡Sí se puede!

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